Type of oil for MFWD axle?

Tx Jim · Apr 8, 2015

I've looked in my M7040 operators manual but don't see what type oil goes in MFWD frt axle when one adds or changes oil. Can someone help me out? Thanks,Jim

ovrszd · Apr 8, 2015

In my M9540 manual, look in the index under "lubricants" (page 60 for me), then look at the chart to find "front differential case oil" (No.5) and "front axle gear case oil" (No.6). Both say to use Kubota UDT or Super UDT fluid or SAE 80-SAE 90 gear oil.

I used UDT cause I had some.

Tx Jim · Apr 8, 2015

Thanks my OM states the same thing only on page 63. I looked at that same page for capacities of each BUT OVERLOOKED THE plainly stated type of oil. I thought UDT was correct oil but I wanted to be sure.Thanks again,Jim

mddorange · Apr 8, 2015

My manual states the same I used UDT as I had it.

ovrszd · Apr 9, 2015

What strikes me odd is that it calls for UDT or 80-90. Never thought about those two having any similarities??

nybirdman · Apr 9, 2015

We just changed ours on the smaller Kubota to 80-90 weight gear oil.It's a lot thicker than the UDT.Our book says you can use either.

ovrszd · Apr 9, 2015

Yeah, a lot thicker. That's why it surprises me they'd suggest either. I guess maybe 80-90 would be easier to hold at the seals. But I also guess it might not flow as well.

MHarryE · Apr 10, 2015

I believe they specify either oil so a customer only needs to stock one oil for transmission/hydraulics and front axle. The front axle, however, consists of gears and bearings and might serve its purpose better. Interestingly I went with a synthetic gear lube at first change and I failed a wheel bearing at 650 hours on my L5740. However none of the gears or other bearings show any significant wear, only barely broke in. The failed bearing did not show any wear but the retainer failed. This type of failure is caused by misalignment or defective bearing so it was not lube related.

CalG · Apr 10, 2015

There is a J-D tech bulletin that indicates that UTTO offers improved seal and bearing life when used in replacement for "gear oil" in front axles.

Do your own search, I didn't book mark the reference.

ray66v · Apr 11, 2015

ovrszd said:
What strikes me odd is that it calls for UDT or 80-90. Never thought about those two having any similarities??

nybirdman said:
We just changed ours on the smaller Kubota to 80-90 weight gear oil.It's a lot thicker than the UDT.Our book says you can use either.

Gear oil is not rated on the same scale as transmission oil, or engine oil.

80-90w gear oil is actually about the same viscosity as the transmission oil. Which is about 30-40w on the engine oil scale.

If you do a side by side pour test, you will see they are approximately the same wt.

The transmission oil is gear oil. It just has different additives, such as anti-foam.